Revelations
by Windpheonix
Summary: Two civilians enter the GAR undercover to produce a documentation about the identity of the clone troopers. Both sides realise that it is possible to do the right thing for the right reason, in a way that is just wrong.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars The Clone Wars. I write this piece of fiction for entertainment **

**purpose only. I do not make any money with it.**

In a small apartment on triple zero Chris and Elizabeth huddled together on Chris' plushy sofa, cradling hot tea in their hands.

Although it had been a hot day on Coruscant they were both rather chilly.

* * *

On the holo screen the life-broadcast showed a picture of a bright, lush landscape with running tracks, a shooting range and a warm voice told of physical exercise, medical care and psychic counseling. The scene changed to show the physical rehab.

The tanned men were coached by smiling medical personnel. On first glance they all looked identical, but Chris and Elisabeth had spent so much time with them, that they easily saw the tiny differences that made each of them individuals. They looked resistant, but concentrated, and were working constantly to regain their strength and return to their brothers.

"As senator Amidala, the courageous woman, who initiated the GAR help-fundation, has told us these men are grateful and delighted to belong to the first group of clones, who have been admitted to this rehabilitation center for extensive medical care."

The scene cut to a large hall, where the senators Amidala and Organa were holding the opening speech for the facility.

Padme stepped onto the podium. Her clear voice rang out and carried far through the hall. "As the representative of Naboo I thank the queen for her kind help. If not for her support the building of this facility would have taken much longer. I also thank the men and women who contributed immensely to the fund raising. They, although they prefer anonymity, have shown immense dedication to our goal of repaying the clone troopers for their dedication and courage. Before Senator Organa introduces the medical personnel, we would like to ask for a moment of silence for our fallen men. "

* * *

Elizabeth sighed and set down her tea. While the Senators lowered their heads in a moment of remembrance she pulled a soft, fuzzy blanket out under the couch and draped it over her and her friend's legs. "Remember Fives when he saw this one for the first time?"

Chris smiled sadly, tears hanging in her eye lashes. "I do Liz, I do." She murmured. "He said he had never felt something so soft. All of the guys loved it."

* * *

Amidala straightened her pose and gave the audience a gracious nod.

"Let us now watch the documentation about the price our men paid and will continue to pay for our war. Remember their efforts and dedication well."

The first video that was broadcasted showed happy young men.

It presented them during menial work, polishing armor, cleaning their weapons, smiling, joking, laughing.

The second holo message from the GAR barracks concentrated on the same clones again, names, not ID numbers, were shown in lower left corner, as if to be a reminder that the soldiers were more than the general population had believed them to be so far.

All videos had originally been broadcasted directly before the evening news, initiated by the senators Padme Amidala, Bail Organa and several others in an attempt to show to the citizens the life of their troops.

Every holo was followed by a call for donations for the rehabilitation for men who had been disabled by the war and for the expansion of the soldiers' rights.

In the fifth week of broadcast, the unit, which the video makers had been accompanying, had hard contact for the first time during filming.

The special was shorter than usual and showed troops marching off, clean, orderly, a beautiful reminder of the efficiency the republic prided itself on.

A hard cut, battle sounds filled every screen on Coruscant. Vids taken from the visors of the clones, men screaming, men dying.

A scene change and a female voice announced the "victorious return" of the troops.

There was no upbeat music like it sounded during the first holos. Only the sounds, that appeared muted, hollow after the deafening screams of the battlefield.

The person holding the camera turned around, slowly walking towards the med bay, where the camera held still, just capturing the way medics bent over their comrades, triaging their brothers, deciding who was to be saved and whose chances were judged to be too low.

Slowly, the voice started up again, counting who had died, who was wounded. Grief choked her voice. The hand holding the camera grew unsteady, while the scenes from the weeks before were replayed, giving many of the fallen vode* a face.

The recording faded out, only white names scrolling over the flat surface, then there were only numbers, for the brothers, for the men, which had not been alive for long enough to find a name.

It was a macabre imitation of the credits after a holo movie.

As the epilogue reached its end Senator Aang appeared, the picture was bright with vibrant colors.

He announced in a great and glorious speech, that he was sad about the losses that the GAR suffers, "but it is the price, we have to pay for victory."

The scene changed, the picture was blurry, the grayish blue of a cheap camera.

A clone sat at a blank durasteel table, lights dimmed, it was night on the GAR cruiser.

He seemed pale, gaunt, his sight fixed on the cup in his fingers.

"Yeah, this is the price we have to pay for war."

* * *

**A.N.:**

So, here is the prologue for the story revelations.

The one-shot One Night Out takes place during Chris' and Elisabeth's stay on Coruscant, but the two stories will, most likely, have no significant impact on each other.

One Night Out simply describes one aspect how life is in the barracks with civilians and clones.

A shout out to my beta reader, you are awesome, thanks a lot!

Next chapter will most likely come within the next few days. Read and review!


	2. Introductions

**Chapter one**

* * *

A sunny day greeted their new lives.

Elisabeth pulled her hair up, winding it to a tight knot at the back of her head. She looked down at her friend, which stood half a head smaller than her and let out a deep, heartfelt sigh.

A one-story complex made of grey durasteel walls greeted them a few meters ahead. Only one guarded entrance was visible along the walls. Completed by the high fences surrounding it and menacing looking troopers patrolling the area, it was less than inviting.

The knot in her stomach curled a bit tighter. The brash young woman suddenly doubted that it had been a smart move to accept this particular job. "Great, we had three years of school and now this? I thought we would, you know, work for a big company boss here." Elisabeth whispered to her friend.

Christina smiled wishfully as a squad of trooper in fatigues ran alongside the fence. "I think I know what you mean. Sitting a shiny office, being paid big bucks for being nothing but eye candy…" she answered her friend, who stared into the sky, where the Jedi temple rose into the clouds.

"Forget about it, Elisabeth, that is a job for people like Sarah, who are pretty, calm, fashionable, and above all, people who know how to keep their mouths shut." The last part was a quick jab at her friend's liking to talk back to people. The habit had gotten both of them into a series of situations over time, which ranked from funny to awkward to downright dangerous.

A smile took the sting from her words. Both of them had met each other at Ordeus, the law firm, where they had undergone their education,

A steady friendship had formed between them. And both enjoyed their little quarreling very much.

"But Chris! Sarah insults everyone, all the time," Elisabeth whined. Small creases around her eyes belied her tone that made Chris giggle.

The shorter woman shook her head at the strands of hair escaped from the bun Elisabeth had placed it in, curling around her face, framing pale skin and piercing green eyes.

Christina contemplated reaching for her hairspray, but decided not to; instead she hitched her trademark folder under her arm into a more comfortable position. During in-firm training it had become a habit of hers to carry a folder with her to place loose flimsi work in.

"Yes Elisabeth, she does, but Sarah doesn't do it right in front of them and she only talks bad about men they don't like. And now to the important things in life…We are expected in the main hall in five minutes."

Both tightened the grip on their bags and marched to the security controls at the door, being quite intimidated by the strong figures in their white armor with blue visors.

The clones towered over Chris by about a head, while taller Elisabeth could almost look them in the blue t-visor. Chris and Elisabeth handed their identity chips and contracts over. It was a tense silence, while the data was processed.

Finally one clone spoke up. "Your paperwork is in order. General Skywalker is not available at the moment. Please wait here. Someone will show you to General Kenobi's office. He will talk to you."

The door opened and a transport rolled out. The man showed both women to the side of the side walk. The conversation which followed between the driver of the transport and the men on duty was too quiet and too far away for Chris and Anna to understand anything.

Carefully measured steps neared the security controls and then a person appeared around the corner. Most people would say just another clone, but the Chris' and Elisabeth's heads snapped up and cataloged every single detail of his appearance.

Pure white armor, lacking in colors and markings of most troopers, there was nothing that stood out. Except for his face. It was heavily scarred, a frown marked his lips. Both eyes, brown and icy blue were fixated on them.

He stopped, coming to a halt and taking a stiff pose in front of them. "Miss Diane and Miss Alamand?"

They nodded. Chris tried to hand him her flimsi but the trooper only gave them a curt nod and turned around.

"Please follow me. I am CT- ." He paused hesitantly and continued in a much softer voice. "Please refer to me as Chopper."

He lead the way into the main building. They walked through grey corridors, all looking exactly the same, as did the clones they passed by, heading to and from practice, caring for equipment and generally running the base.

Chris shook her head, straight ponytail whipping from side to side. She pulled closer to her taller friend and they fell back a few paces. "Oh Elisabeth, we are never going to fit in here, and I'm gonna mess up so many times talking to people," She whispered. "I mean, I have serious problems remembering people's names anyway, how am I supposed to find one person in this crowd? They all look exactly alike."

Elisabeth chuckled and agreed."We really should have taken the job for durasteel INC."

Christina contemplated Choppers from as he was rounding a corner. Her gaze stopped at the sight of his neck, where the scars from his cheek ran down, leading under his bodysuit. "I wonder if these still hurt…Oh Girl, don't stare like that. It's not polite!" Chris thought.

She snapped her daze away as if she had burned herself. Her cheeks warmed and she hoped that the clo... "Chopper," she corrected herself, hadn't noticed their conversation.

Soon enough they stopped at a grey, plain door and Chopper knocked, respectfully asking permission to enter.

A Jedi opened the door and asked the two secretaries inside. General Kenobi gave the man a light nod. "Thank you Chopper, this would be all."

"Yes, Sir." A salute, Chopper turned on his heels and left with brisk steps.

Kenobi let Chris and Elizabeth come inside. "Take a seat. My name is Obi Wan Kenobi and I will oversee the operation together with the Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker. I think the senators already talked to you about the details?"

Christina nodded hesitantly; while Elizabeth answered with a clear "They did Sir."

He picked up a rather small suitcase and deposited it on his desk. "This would be your equipment. Security cameras have been installed in most areas. The men are under the opinion that they are testing new equipment."

After a moment of hesitation Christina reached out, carefully handling a tiny microphone. "Has General Skywalker agreed with Senator Organas plan? I have to admit, that I am still uncomfortable with the idea of filming these men without their knowledge."

Before Kenobi could answer the door opened. A young female Togruta entered the room. "Allow me Miss Alamand. My master agrees that the planned procedure is the best course of action. But he also asks that you consider an additional route." She stopped at the small side of Kenobi's desk and picked up a small microphone as well, it could be clipped to a button.

"Please, if I might ask for first names? Please call me Christina or Chris. Miss Alamand always makes me a bit nervous."

The Togruta smiled and extended a hand for Christina. "Of call me Ahsoka. We are going to do quite a bit of work together. How did the Senators recruit you two anyway? You don't seem to be so adventurous."

Elisabeth grinned. "Well, they overheard us", a pregnant pause, "discussing the troopers rights with a colleague of ours in the main plaza in sector three."

Christina shook her head exasperatedly. "Discussing is putting it mildly. Elisabeth and I strongly disagreed with our lunch partner over the term 'wet droid' and got a bit carried away during the argument." Embarrassed she clipped the microphone she had just picked up to her blouse.

"I think half the plaza heard it," Elisabeth laughed," It was Senator Organa who approached us soon after the incident. He really has brilliant ideas."

Kenobi stood up abruptly at the mention of Bail Organa. "Well, Ahsoka will introduce you to your equipment. I entrust you with my office Padawan."

He gave a short bow towards Christina and Elisabeth before rounding the desk "General Skywalker will contact you later, for now a tour of the base might be of use. Ahsoka?"

"I have some free time master Kenobi. I will show them the appropriate areas."

"Thank you Padawan." The door closed behind him with a soft scraping.

The three females sat down and Ahsoka reached for a small camera and two pieces of jewelry. "This one would be perfect for you Elisabeth. It goes into an ear clip and that," nimble fingers pressed a piece of electronics into a collar pin," should work well for you Christina. Please be careful with these. I don't think anyone can find it if they don't know they are there, but they are State of the Art equipment and Intelligence is going to be pretty angry if they break."

The positioning of the pin gave Chris a bit of trouble, so Ahsoka reached out and adjusted it. "There. You already have your microphone, let me just get you one, Elisabeth. We test it during our tour. So, already got a plan for the close up shots and interviews?"

They straightened out their clothing. Christina answered while she checked the placement of the electronics for practice.

"Yes, we do. I was about to bring it up. Senator Organa was so kind to suggest we act like producing a video diary about our travels. Also nobody will be suspicious about us handling holo files during our free time."

Ahsoka frowned. "Taking a holo diary," She mused, "Some troopers might look down at that. Otherwise it underlines how different this situation is for you. Others might be drawn to that, especially the recruits are awfully curious about everything they don't from Kamino." Her lekku twitched.

"From whatever angle you look at it, the video diary story will strengthen your cover and that is the best we can ask for at the moment. It is a good idea."

* * *

„So, how are the girls? Looking good?" Fives, young, eager and lively leaned over his grub in the canteen, pestering Chopper with the same question he had heard more often in the past two hours than he had cleaned his weapon in his entire life.

"They seem alright."

Fives seemed to deflate at the short answer, sinking back onto the bench. "Come on, Chopper, how about you say more than three words?"

"No Fives, the commander will bring them down for dinner and you will meet them while we are here anyway." The 501st had been reassigned to Coruscant while they polished up the skills of their new recruits.

"But I have got the training slot for that time! Come on Chopper!" Fives was practically bouncing on the bench in excitement. More than a few odd looks were sent their direction. Something Chopper had still to get used to, seeing as in Slicks Squadron there had been nothing worse as getting noticed. Sometime Chopper had the feeling that Fives only sought out his company in order to desensitize him.

And sometimes he got the feeling that it worked.

Then the mess hall fell quiet, clones looking up from their meals, memorizing the new faces that had just stepped in.

"Hi guys!" Ahsoka flopped down next to Chopper, somewhat lacking the Jedi grace that she always exhibited during training and battle.

Perhaps it had something to do with setting the two young women which were following her with mess trays, at ease. General Kenobi had once dropped an off handed comment that civilians could feel uneasy around displays of superior skills.

Ahsoka indicated that they should take a seat. "Sit down you two. These are Chopper and Fives. Sorry to interrupt your downtime boys, but Master Kenobi was called into a meeting so he told me to do the tour and we were hungry, so here we are. I hope the memo already made its way around?" A blinding grin was flashed their direction.

Chopper sat up straight as the blond woman sat down next to him. "The message was received by all units Commander," He replied.

The taller one set her tray down next to Fives and gave him reached out to shake first his then Chopper's hand. "Good afternoon Fives. I am Elisabeth and the short one over there is Christina."

Her friend nodded, sun brown skin wrinkled slightly as she gave both troopers a friendly smile. "Good afternoon. Most people call me Chris." She also reached out to shake hands with both men.

Fives took their hands carefully, savoring the feeling of the warmth from their small, soft fingers and wished he had pulled of his gloves before coming to lunch.

Chopper looked closely at Christina. She tried to hide it, but nervousness about meeting new people made her tense. She sat unnaturally straight, eyebrows drawn together in her concentration to make a good first impression.

Across the table Fives waited until Chris and Elizabeth had both taken their first bite, watching both pause after the first taste of the mash, before he started a conversation.

"So, what do you think about the food?"

Chris shifted the bite from one cheek to the other and swallowed with difficulty. She took a sipp of water before she forced out a smile. "It is quite filling."

Elizabeth took less time deciding whether to swallow the mash or not. She simply forced a spoonful of the food down and shook herself like a strill coming out of the water. "…Well, at least it's hot."

Fives laughed. "Welcome to the GAR Elisabeth, the better the army, the worse the food. "

The group chuckled. After the first ice had been broken both women relaxed, shoulders lowering and the creases between Chris' eyebrows left.

"Then it seems like I have to revise my opinion. You must be even better than the media says."

Elisabeth's comment earned a tilted head from Chopper and a friendly smile from Fives, but beyond Five's, "These reporters have no idea how good we really are," neither seemed to know what to further contribute towards the conversation.

"Target practice?"Fives mused. He knew that most civilians on Coruscant did not have a weapon license and after a very embarrassing meeting with a Togruta on the plaza he had decided not to touch that topic again when a civilian was within earshot.

"Training run?" was Chopper's thought.

He eyed both women discreetly, while they ate in lunch. While Elisabeth was slim, it was rather the look of someone who took very special care in their diet and not exercised regularly. Christina in turn was not quite chubby, but the muscles of her lower back and upper thigh, which he had seen before she sat down, had shown primary indication of someone whose day was spent primarily in a sitting position.

Both troopers could not decide on a topic, which might interest the two women.

Elizabeth smiled as he eyed the fruit pudding, which, Fives had to admit, was a bit lumpy that day.

She poked it with her spoon as if to judge the chances that it might bite her.

An uncomfortable silence settled down on the table again. Ahsoka decided to see how the two women would handle the situation and their equipment and leaned back, not trying to start another conversation.

Chris stared at her lunch, fiddled with the water glass and pushed her pixie style hair in form. Then, she took a deep breath, putting on her most charming smile she took the first subject that came to her mind.

"So, for how long are we going to stay here?"Chopper fixated his mismatched eyes on her and didn't answer.

Chris' cheeks warmed as she looked away. A quick look confirmed that there would be no further help from her friend, who was busying herself with the desert.

Chopper's body straightened, adding a couple of centimeters to his height. "Excuse me Ma'am, what do you mean _we_? I was not aware civilians would come with us to space."

Chris' smile wavered. "Well, it is highly unusual but Master Kenobi informed us that after the stay here we would come to Alderaan with him in order to assist Senator Organa and Senator Amidala during a conference."

A nervous glance was sent towards her friend. Elisabeth hadn't noticed yet.

" They are already present on Naboo and the General was of the opinion that we would need to be informed by him personally." Chris' was happy to finish speaking. Her voice had held steady, but Chopper didn't appear to be convinced by her lie as to why they would have to travel with the clone troopers.

The older clone listened closely, carefully considering his next words as Ahsoka cut in.

"It's okay Chopper." She smiled. General Kenobi has just told me to send out the request to Admiral Yularen for their rooming arrangement. "

She flashed a blinding smile in Chris' direction. "He is the admiral of the Star destroyer, which will transport the 501st to Naboo and boy am I glad you two are here to take over this kind of job for now. I know I am not going to miss them," she said and changed the subject towards the new practice routines for the shinies. Elisabeth stopped playing with her desert and leaned forward to listen closely.

During the next minutes Echo arrived to pick up Fives. That was also the signal for the trio of females to start moving.

As the doors closed behind them Chris sighed and hitched up the files in the cradle of her right arm. "Well that could have gone better. Sorry Ahsoka, but I'm just terrible at this."

"It's alright Chris. They didn't find out anything yet and don't worry about Chopper. He just needs time to get to know you. You will see, just show them respect and kindness and they will warm up to you," the Padawan soothed.

They were quiet while two brothers in their fatigues passed them by. Both were eyeing the civilians rather curiously. After a few minutes Ahsoka stopped and waved them into a small office. The air was rather stale and after two consoles and a desk for Christina and Elisabeth each had been squeezed in there wasn't much space left.

Elisabeth took a seat on one of the desks and motioned for Ahsoka to choose a chair.

"Well, we will see about how much they figured out by themselves later. I think it would be better to tell them straight away anyway, but in the end it is the senate's decision. Hopefully we can divert their thoughts with the story of the holo diary."

Ahsoka switched on a console and reached for Chris' files.

"I am sure it will work out. You just need to get a bit closer to the boys. Just don't be so shy. Most of them are very friendly. Now come on, because my master does need some help straightening out his data pads and I am tired of doing it for him. Somehow he gets even less work done when we are in Coruscant."

* * *

**A.N.:**

Christina and Elisabeth have arrived in the GAR barracks.

The story is probably going to be updated once a week.

Please, tell me what you think, good, bad?

Also, please help me hunt down these spelling and grammar mistakes. I do use a spell checker, but they just keep slipping under the radar.

If there is something you would like to see in the interaction between the clones and Christina and Elisabeth or if you have questions regarding the plot, please drop me a note. I can't make any promises, but i will try my best.


	3. first meetings

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars The Clone Wars. I write this piece of fiction for entertainment**

**purpose only. I do not make any money with it.**

* * *

It had grown cold in the past weeks.

Coruscant was as beautiful as always in autumn, but Christina had optioned to wear a sweater over her blouse. Her flat reflected her fascination with old technology, the ticking of the elderly mechanical clock was resonating through the silent rooms.

It was a late afternoon and she had just switched on the heater for hot water as her doorbell rang. She opened, not expecting anything more than the shoes she had ordered. A loud click in her kitchen called Christina away from the entrance. As the smell of fresh tea wafted up in the steam she heard heavy footsteps nearing her front door.

"Please wait, I will be there in a moment."

Christina turned around the corner, opened the door and was suddenly glad that she had not taken the tea pot with her.

In the hallway, looking angry and a bit forlorn stood Echo. His face was gaunt, cheeks cleanly shaven, but fallen in. The shoulder pauldron had the first scratches and his kama started to show signs of use.

He had clipped his helmet to his belt and looked down at her.

"Christina."

A cool greeting, it stung that he used her full name and not the nickname Fives had given her.

"Mind if I come in?"

"Not at all, please, just go to your left, sit down and make yourself comfortable. I just made some tea; I will just go and get it."

Christina motioned in the direction of her living room and turned towards the kitchen. Her hands were shaking as she placed a tablet with the tea, cups and some sweets "from the bakery around the corner," she added with a nervous smile, on the coffee table.

Echo had to bend down to take one." I remember," he said after he had taken the first bite, "I remember you had brought them the second time we met at the barracks and spent hours on this one riddle. You were pretty good at these."

He added with a thoughtful note and paused, fixing his gaze at her with a carefully schooled expression. "Was that a lie too? Do you even like these games?"

Christina looked away, tears burned in her eyes. Part of her was angry, but she couldn't be angry at him. She was angry at his treatment, hurt by the rejection, but he deserved the truth.

Christina took a shaky breath and with a faint tugging in her heart she looked up to him and started to talk.

"No Echo that was true; as was everything else."

"Except for one thing," the trooper interrupted her.

"Except for one thing," she agreed."And that was the most important. But I really loved solving these questions with you. I enjoyed those hours very much... I can't explain it Echo, I can't, but I can understand if you are here to tell me you and the others won't forgive me what I did."

Echo could not withstand her gaze. He stood up and turned around, focusing on a holo, that was floating next to the old wooden clock.

It was a curious mixture, an old mechanical clock next to the newest holo-transmitter.

It showed a young man, holding a woman with short hair in his arms. She seemed to have fallen asleep while sitting next to him and in order to keep her from slipping off the bench they were seated on he had put his arm around her. On the image her head had fallen against his shoulder in an angle that promised a sore neck when she woke up. Echo held her gingerly, and seemed to be at a loss what to do, while Christina continued to sleep peacefully.

"I don't know what to say," he started; shoulders slumped forward in a tired pose. "We just went through the nine pits of Corellia." Echo shook his head and straightened. "I didn't come here to tell you anything Christina. I came to ask you for Cutup's picture. The one you took in the gym hall, when Fives taught you the cardio training, after he fell off the treadmill, you remember?"

Cristina's heart ached.

"I'm sorry Echo. I don't have it. Perhaps Elisabeth..." She trailed off.

The only reason why Echo would ask for his brother's picture was if he couldn't see him anymore.

He wouldn't look at her, just stared at the green tea in his hands.

Her mouth acted on its own when it asked "Echo, I can't tell you how much it hurt us to lie to you like that. You know it was this way or none. We wanted to help. Do you think," She swallowed to moisten her painfully dry mouth."Do you think you can forgive us, for not telling you?

"I don't know yet." Shoulders straightened as Echo turned on his heels, all professional ARC trooper again. "Excuse the disturbance, I will show myself out." And without looking back he walked out of the room.

A silent" please Echo, give your brothers my deepest apologies," didn't seem to catch him on his way out.

He was leaving the flat and leaving Christina to contemplate the floating image on her windowsill.

* * *

Although their main objective was to gain footage of the clone troopers to produce a convincing series of short films, Christina and Elisabeth were busy with flimsi work during their first days at the GAR barracks.

The clones had been told the women had been hired as secretaries. In order to keep their disguise up, the two of them did just that. To be true General Skywalker's office did need a good dusting, in more than the literally sense.

The training schedules, as well as the lists and reports about machinery were all taken care of, but the purely administrative data chips and flimsi pages had been more or less just stacked on top of each other.

It was a nightmare to merely separate the different subjects not to speak about bringing them into a chronological order.

So when Ahsoka was practising with new recruits and could not provide the security clearance they needed to comb through the General's office, Christina and Elisabeth had taken the chance to flee the stuffy office.

While Elisabeth had slipped on her sports clothing to take up Five's offer to teach her some practices for cardio training, Christina had opted for the mess hall; she was just not such a big fan of physical activities.

The caf in the GAR was one of the strongest she had since her final classes in Modern Holo – Technical Arts in Coruscant University and, although she had been convinced to be free from her craving, after a long morning of standing still, sorting pages after pages, her blood pressure did highly appreciate the black, bitter liquid.

The mess also provided lots of moving and freely talking people for her camera and microphone to pick up. But most importantly it had the best lighting she had seen around the barracks and that was just what she needed for her current activity, her favorite past time.

Solving puzzles and riddles.

Someone set down a tray besides her. "Excuse me Christina, is the place still free?"

She looked up, momentarily confused as to who had pulled her out of her concentration. It was the clone who had picked up Fives for his shift after lunch for the past few days. "Oh, yes it is. Echo, correct? Please, sit down."

He gave her a friendly nod and watched her fiddle with her data pad.

Echo watched Christina as she gave a triumphant smirk when she figured out which way to open the safe and pulled a paper out from the safety vault in the game.

She led her character through a couple of corridors until a person blocked the way. Echo furrowed his brow as Christina just closed the speech panels.

"Shouldn't you listen to what he says?" Christina startled and turned towards him. She didn't seem to have noticed Echo following the game.

"I'm sorry," he started but stopped as Christina smiled.

"No, no, you are right. It's just; I have already been this way. This guard always wants you to plan a level for his house. It's always pretty tricky."

Christina waited a moment, if the trooper would make a comment or suggest they work at it together, as he seemed interested, but Echo just nodded and had his eyes immediately set on the screen again. It showed some sort of grass with poles set down at regular intervals.

"What are you supposed to do there? If you don't mind me asking," He started tentatively, drawn to an activity he had not seen before.

Echo noted Christina was wearing a modest blouse, no jacket. The material seemed to be a bit thin. The GAR barracks were kept cool, at least on comparison with the Senate building. He wondered if the young secretary felt cold.

Cristina let out a small laugh, friendly, happy. "I don't mind Echo, not at all. In this riddle you are supposed to find a way to form two triangles and three squares out of these poles with these," she pointed to the screen, where the poles where laid out in a grid," strings. As I said, it's the layout for a house, for the rooms, but it doesn't really matter; all you have to do is find the forms."

She caught a look of excitement in Echo's eyes she had not seen before. "Would you like to… give it a try?" Christina suggested more directly and Echo nodded, pulling the pad a bit closer to him.

Together they puzzled out the layout of the house and were close to finishing the level when his Echo's helmet called an end to the fun with a shrill beep. His hand slammed down on the button. The story had just started to pick up speed and was starting to get interesting as well.

"I apologize, my shift starts." His face spoke that he found it more than inconvenient.

A quick look at her chrono confirmed her time table. "I should return to the office as well."

They stood up, a bit indecisive about leaving. Christina had not expected to find such an attentive partner in her hobby here and Echo had clearly been very engaged in the game, so she decided to take her chance.

"Do you have time this evening? We could at least finish the level."

Echo nodded. "Here again? There will be a holo- vid which Fives wanted to watch. Would you mind it playing while it runs?"

He was a bit nervous. The young woman seemed friendly and he would have preferred his bunk, but Echo feared an invitation into his quarters could be interpreted the wrong way. On the other hand, he knew a meeting in public could be counted as a casual meeting between friends.

He didn't know; there was no part in the manual about civilian courtship. He didn't want to give her the incorrect signals. He was curious, but didn't want more, didn't want what the Commando Mereel had talked about, it was too close, too much under his skin. He didn't think he could let her in like that. Echo just wanted to get to know her.

But Christina smiled, reassuring him that he had chosen the correctly." No, not at all, it is fine with me. So, when does your shift end?"

The evening had been memorable in more than one way. Elisabeth had joined Fives and Cutup during the movie while Echo and Christina had chosen a table further in the back to stick their heads together to 'unravel the secrets of the worlds', as Fives had put it jokingly.

Both puzzle friends had chosen to ignore the remark. As they had chosen to ignore the curious and envious glances towards, which were sent towards them.

Christina seemed oblivious about the situation, whereas Echo was highly aware of her close proximity. She was wearing some kind of mild perfume. It was light and Echo found it strangely pleasant, it smelled like flowers, but not too sweetly. _Why didn't I notice it during lunch? _

Elisabeth kept turning around during the movie, watching them with an odd look on her face.

Then suddenly Christina leaned closer to Echo, her arm brushing his elbow and pointed out a corner on the screen.

"What do you think, could that be it?"

Echo nodded, letting his fingers click, sort out the puzzle and was hyper aware when she piped in, pulling a few pieces in a different position, her fingers brushing his. Her hands were much smaller, not weak, and pudgy like he had seen on some senators, but still less strong than his.

It had struck Echo particularly strongly when Christina had shown him how to rotate a three dimensional puzzle.

He just had not been able to get the way his fingers needed to move and instead of trying to explain it another time Christina had laid her fingers on his and gently pushed them. At first Echo had been so surprised, he had locked up, and had asked her to show him a second time. Silently he had relished on the feeling of her warm, not quiet soft, but not calloused, well taken care of fingers on his.

Her body was much closer to his than in the afternoon, her leg nearly touching his, he couldn't touch her yet, could only sense the warmth of her skin.

But over time Christina's head seemed to grow heavier and heavier, her body coming closer to his, until she started to lean against Echo.

He didn't move away, as far as he could tell there was no innuendo behind the motion. She was simply tired and cold if he had judged her clothing correctly.

As the closing credits played Elisabeth stood up and stretched her back, relieving some kinks in her back. "Sheesh, these benches clearly were not designed by someone with the word _comfortable_ at the front of his mind."

She sighed, slowly walking towards Echo to pick up her friend. She ignored a few odd looks that were sent in her direction. Only that they were not directed at her at all.

Elisabeth smiled, pulled out a small holo camera and started to snap pictures.

She stopped next to Fives, who was staring at his brother, who was in turn avoiding meeting Fives' eyes.

Christina had fallen asleep during the game, or the movie, whatever it had been that she had been doing while Morpheus stole her consciousness.

The young woman had tipped sideways and to keep her from falling off the bench Echo had put an arm around her and was holding her gingerly.

She didn't seem to have any objections as she was curling into the warmth of his body.

He regarded Elisabeth's camera with a raised eye brow. „What is that?"

"A holo camera."

Five's eyebrows rose and he replied smoothly:" You don't say, I never would have guessed."

Elisabeth huffed, "I probably had that coming. Please don't move Echo. Chris and I are doing a holo diary and this seems to be the perfect way to start. Now could you please wake her up Fives? I don't want to miss that look on her face when she realizes where she is."

Christina woke up with an undignified squeak, as Fives rubbed her lower ribs, tickling her. She blushed furiously and started to apologize towards Echo for falling asleep on him, but he waved her off.

* * *

Later in his bunk Echo smiled. It had been nice to hold her, to feel Christina's body next to his, so different from his brothers', but he wouldn't tell her that. It didn't seem right, he had liked the closeness, but Echo frowned. The Commando had said admitting that you liked someone to be close could be seen as an attempt at flirting. He would like to try flirting, but he didn't know what could follow. Was there a way of telling Christina he wanted to, he frowned again, what was the right word? Echo settled on train.

Was there a way to tell Christina he wanted to train flirting?

There should be a manual about women, he decided, turning on his side, he pulled the stiff blanket higher, keeping out the night-chill.

Echo decided he would advise Christina to wear thicker clothing or more layers. It wouldn't do for her to get sick and Star cruisers were even chillier than the GAR barracks. He didn't know if civilians knew that, so he would tell her.

**A.N.:**

I sincerely apologize for the long delay, but life is very busy at the moment.

I promise I am working on everything.

Thank you for your kind reviews and support.

Please tell me about your opinion, all comments are welcome.


	4. Having doubts

**Disclaimer: I don't own Clone Wars. I write this piece of fiction for entertainment ****purpose only. I do not make any money with it.**

Chris made her way through her messages.

She opened one. It was an advertisement, like most of the data that took up her message box.

Buy this, get that, look like this star. She deleted it and opened the next one, not caring about the latest trend. The subscription of her monthly fashion magazine, The Dazzling Charm, which she had in an attempt to return to her old life, was lying on the side desk, slowly collecting dust.

It was surprising how a few weeks with the clones of the GAR had changed her view upon the world so drastically.

The troopers owned nothing, all they had was their equipment and even that had been given to them by the republic.

Strangely they didn't desire more. Fives had once talked to her about the subject of owning something, about having a job and being paid for it. He had seemed strangely fascinated and bewildered at the same time by the tendency of people to heap on money and collect goods.

The last new message was marked as 'read' and Chris clicked 'delete'.

Nothing, again. She sighed, running a hand through stiff hair.

Another day in which no one had tried to contact her. Her eyes wandered to her comlink. Perhaps a trooper had written Elisabeth, instead of her?

Chris shook her head and leant back, pressing her back to the chair until she could hear her spine pop.

„No, she would have told me. No need to call her."

Christina flicked a button and the console shut down with a straining whine of the ventilator.

She pushed her chair back and took The Dazzling Charm, heading over to her couch in an attempt not to think about the one time Elizabeth and she had both admitted to each other what they feared.

* * *

Chris entered Elisabeth's and her office and closed the door behind her. The smell of old flimsi and stale air filled her nose.

In her arms she carried several files from General Skywalker's office and a list of chips she was supposed to bring him for the next meeting with the Council.

They had a job to pretend to do after all.

Elisabeth was sitting at her desk, giggling lightly. "We should totally use that Chris," she choked out, her lean frame shaking with hysterical sobs.

Chris put down her load. She stepped next to her friend and leaned over Elisabeth's shoulder. Their desk where placed right beside each other.

Elisabeth was playing a scene from their video from their last trip to the gym. A group of clones was standing in front of a treadmill, which was running at high speed. They continuously snuck glances towards the two women.

Cutup, who had invited them to come, gave them a cocky grin, turned around and took two long strides towards the machine. He jumped, landed on the moving ground and the plane pulled the ground away under his feet, causing Cutup to land on his side ungracefully.

There was a moment of shock, and then his brothers closed around him, helping the trooper up.

Elisabeth hiccupped, wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes. "That is so hilarious; you think we could use that?" She caught the sour look on her friend's face." Or we could ask Jasmine and get a third opinion!" She quickly added.

Chris frowned. She reached for the keyboard and shut down the clip. "No," she replied in a flat voice. "I don't think we could do it. Neither the one nor the other." Brisk steps carried her to the back of the room, where she picked out several data chips the general had requested. The room was long, but narrow and between desks and shelves there was just enough space for one person to move comfortably. Her shoulders were pulled back, poise straight and tense.

Elisabeth threw her hands up in the air and stood up abruptly."And why not Mrs. 'Let us keep everything nice and proper'?" She growled blocking Chris' way back to her desk.

Her friend lowered her head at the scorching tome of her friend's voice, swallowing noticeably, her body folding inwards. Then she straightened herself again and stated her reason.

"For two reasons. One, not everybody shares your brand of humor, people hurting themselves is not funny."

Elisabeth huffed, muttering something under her breath, but motioned for Christina to go on.

"And second, 'Lies, this is hard enough for me," her voice grew harsh and angry, "and it is hard for you as well; otherwise you wouldn't ACT like this."

Elisabeth stepped backwards. Chris took a deep breath and continued.

"We do this, because the Senators, who want more help for the clones, who need the attention of the citizens of the republic, see no other way to get it."

She looked up again, tears in the corners of her eyes.

"But we all know that we are just doing this right over their heads, again. Again, they have no say in what changes are going to happen in their lives. We say they deserve it to be treated like the people they are. And what do we do? WHAT do we DO?

She started shaking, holding onto the chips tightly. Elisabeth took a tentative step forward, reaching out for her friend, as Chris continued, her voice rising, becoming shrill.

„We sneak into their lives, pretending to be someone else, pretend to be just their friends and film their lives and give them, no force damned choice!"

At the end she became quiet, fighting back her tears.

"Chris," Elisabeth started, and then stopped. Not knowing what to say, she gently laid her army around quivering shoulders.

She held her friend, laying her chin onto spiky hair; she petted her friend's back.

"No Chris. Don't say it like that. We have no choice as well. You know the Chancellor was strictly against the project. He absolutely refused considering the very option of allowing someone to film the troopers until the clause was added that no one but the film crew and the Jedi knew about the reason for the filming. The Jedi suggested it, remember?"

"But why?" Came the broken-hearted whisper from her friend.

„I don't know," she replied," perhaps the Chancellor feared a security breach. For the Jedi, well, you read the answer yourself.

The Jedi council feared the halos would seem unauthentic, that we might influence the clones into acting differently."

Cristina withdrew herself from the embrace. " I remember," she replied with a small voice."It would need too long, they claimed in their answer, to acclimate the troopers to our presence." She shook her head. "It doesn't make sense. It isn't fair." Her voice grew thin again.

Elisabeth shrugged her shoulders.

"Life is unfair Chris. Fact is, this is our only chance to produce something that will turn every bodies head around.

If it does or does not make sense, we will think about it later.

We have no time. You know how hard it is to get something out of the material we have. We have hours of filming material, but very few scenes with the emotion we need."

Elisabeth stepped closer and grasped the shorter woman's shoulders, giving them a firm shake.

" Please Chris," She intoned." Stop worrying your pretty head of about morals. We do not have the time for that. You heard the rumors. In the streets as well as in the halls here haven't you?"

Chris tried to pull away, avoided her eyes, but Elisabeth held on tight.

"You heard them. The stories about all those, that survive, but take too long to recover." She whispered. "The stories about those, that can't be fixed. We need something to make every single person in the Republic, all of them, see who these men are. The Senate needs to feel the pressure from the public; otherwise the words from people like Senator Amidala will continue to go unheard."

Chris shook her head." It's still not right." She insisted.

„Of course it is not right." Elisabeth agreed. „But what choice do we have? If we don't get this right, how high are the chances that a second team will be allowed to try?"

Silence filled the dimly lit room while she waited from Christina's answer.

Christina repeated their conversation, trying to hold on tight to the facts.

"The chances that another team will be allowed to try are very small, because of the new 'decree on the presentation of the public'; after it has passed, the Senate is allowed to put in a veto whenever it concerns public relations. Considering this, the Senators Amidala and Organza really caught the last possible moment, where only the Chancellor had the last word."

The young woman had calmed down considerably.

"They did." Elisabeth agreed. „We have to get this right; there might be no other chance. Yes, it is unfair, yes we may do the wrong thing while trying to make it right, but we said ourselves that we won't just sit there and wait that someone else does the job for us. We can change something and while the boys may hate us later for not telling them- we will always know that we just wanted their best."

Chris raised her head. Her brown eyes met Elisabeth's green gaze.

„It is still wrong. They will be angry."

Elisabeth hugged Christina tightly, for her friend's comfort as much as for her own.

"True, they have every right to be, but we are stuck, like they told us. Once you put your signature down, there is no going back."


	5. Something Sweet

Chapter four:

Elisabeth carried her dinner around the counter of her kitchen the low table in front of her holo-net. She carefully put down the plates and smiled, glad to have finally got a long day behind her.

Usually she would love nothing more than to pick a random movie and sit her soft couch, falling asleep to the sounds of a story that would always end well.

Today, the holo-net was turned of.

She didn't have the nerve to listen to the endless, senseless chatter of the news reporter, repeating the grand stories, which had been told and retold to the death during the year already.

She had spent the majority of her day working, getting some projects done last minute; nothing important, just a few advertisements that needed fine-tuning before they were presentable.

The rest of her afternoon had been spent in her open kitchen, preparing fresh meringue, sweet whipped cream from blue milk, and self made sauce from sweet, ripe shuura fruits.

The results of her baking and cooking sat on her low table in her living room, giving of mouth watering aroma.

The spoon, which she had left in the pot, was warm as she carefully dribbled the pale yellow fluid over the meringue.

A flash of light brightened her flat, painting everything a vivid orange.

It was the beginning of the New Year and the city planet was celebrating. People were up and about, laughing, partying and celebrating for a good year to come.

The rockets went of over Coruscant, painting the sky in bright neon colours.

Last year sparklers had been in fashion and like last year she avoided the crowd, did not let herself be carried here and there by the current of happiness, but staid inside, watching the sky light up again and again from behind her windows.

It was so easy to forget that war was warred out there and that the loud, colourful rockets could easily be mistaken for something else.

Elisabeth sat down and sighed, remembering a year ago, when the 501st had been ready to leave Coruscant and Christina and she had been deeply immersed in the paperwork of such an undertaking.

* * *

It had been the day where Elisabeth had bought a small treat for herself at her favourite tap-café, something she regularly indulged herself in. This day however had been different. She wouldn't be able to visit the cosy little restaurant for a while and had so stored their highly praised specialty as a late night snack in the office.

After all she had been warned that it would be a long day.

During a very long and busy day she had continuously thought of it, especially when she and Christina had once again been sent there to retrieve a file or holo cube, which had been forgotten in the original requests for that day.

The launch of a republic cruiser was an enormous amount of work.  
The flight plan had to be transferred; the need for provisions announced, calculated, checked and at long last the actual meals had to be ordered; and that was only one of the many procedures going on before the 501st could finally lift of into the wide reaches of space.

Not to mention were security codes, munitions, safety procedures having to be brought up to date and a myriad of smaller and bigger things that Christina and Elisabeth did have neither security clearance nor time for.

It had been a long, exhausting day for all people involved, but Captain Rex's gruff 'good work' was one of the sweetest things Elisabeth had ever heard.  
Christina answered with a small thank you and both young women excused themselves from the conference room.

Cristina shook her head as the doors closed behind them.  
"That was some day. I swear, not even Five's drills left me this exhausted."

Elisabeth smiled.

"Sheesh girl! You were only there once, and have you looked at these guys? What they are doing, that is a drill. I mean, talking about Fives," a gleam entered her eyes," have you looked at him, when he is doing his work out? I swear…." Elisabeth flashed her friend a grin. Watching like a hawk for the tell-tale heating of Christina's cheeks she continued," I have never seen a man as handsome as him, well, except for his brother of course."

Christina shook her head in exasperation, her face indeed slightly pink.

"Admittedly, you are right. These men are really making Adonis's jealous. Anyway, how about we talk about his in a more, let's say, private setting. I am heading back to our room. You got a late night meeting with your young god?"

"Very funny, and no, I only have a late-night date with my favourite sweet tonight. I think I earned it."

Elisabeth grimaced as her she shifted the files from one arm to another, easing the straining muscles.

"It really should have been possible for them to foresee what kind of files would be needed. Do you remember how many times we have rushed to the office today to fetch these?"

"I have absolutely no idea, but it was entirely too many. Now, this is my turn. Can I give you my files? I don't want to interrupt your snack; after all I do know how territorial you can become of your meringue."

Elisabeth chuckled, reaching for her friend's load. "Sure Chris. You just go straight ahead. Sleep tight."

Their ways parted at the next corner. Christina turned left, Elisabeth right. It was late at night and she could hear the young woman's light steps fade in the dark corridor.

Soon she was on her own and only the rustling of her long trouser accompanied her in the sleeping complex.

Around the next corner all she could hear was the loud sounds of the New Years celebrations. Elisabeth stopped at one of the bare windows to watch the spectacle. Colourful light send a sparkle all over the main capital. The senate had started the fire work at two on the morning, as was tradition.

A small sob shook her out of her reverie.

A young clone, a cadet, huddled in the corner, knees close to his chest as if trying to hide from something.

She had heard about the visit, had caught a glimpse at one of the visiting groups as she hurried through the corridors for one more document.

She had shortly thought about stopping and catching a few good shots of them on tape, but had dismissed it, just as she had dismissed it in this moment. They were too young. It was one thing taping grown men, but exploiting children? Even if bred for war, they still had the right to remain off screen.

Elisabeth crouched low in front of the boy, laying a warm hand on his cold shoulder.

"Hey, I thought it was bedtime for you guys. What's up?"

He flinched, tried to blink the tears in his eyes away.

"Ma'am. I'm sorry. I went out, but then this started and I couldn't find back and…"

Another light flashed across the skies. He froze, nearly crawling under her fingers, searching the human touch.

Elisabeth smiled. Are you afraid of the light? Don't worry. I know just the thing to distract you while we find out where you belong. Come, stand up."

She smiled, motioning for the boy to follow her.

"I am not afraid of the light Ma'am," the cadet was quick to catch himself.

"It's just," he hesitated, as if considering if he should continue the sentence.

Elisabeth stopped and turned around, waiting for him. He then rushed it, "it just reminds me of the life fire exercise Ma'am. We had our first just before we left Kamino and it was scary."

Elisabeth closed her eyes, nodded and started walking again, leading the young boy towards the office.

"Life fire, are you not a little young for that?" She muttered under her breath as she ushered the cadet into the small room and pointed at her desk for him to sit at while she called up Fives.

"Oh no Ma'am," her short companion shook his head. "We started our training at two standard years, with five standard years the live weapon training begins. Actually," he said off-handed, as if it was no big deal," my batch is starting late. The older generation of clones have begun life-fire exercises much earlier. Are you feeling well Ma'am?"

The last sentence was directed at Elisabeth. At the mention of `two-years` and `five years starting late` she had nearly dropped her com-link. She managed to send him a quick smile and did the first thing she could think of to get the conversation away from the current topic. She took her sweet out of the box on her desk and pushed it in front of the young cadet.

"Here, I know late-night sweets aren't considered healthy, but I think we can make an exception. Dig in!"

She ended on a cheerful note that sounded forced even to herself, but the sweet meringue with whipped cream served it's duty and distracted the far two keen, far too young eyes from her.

Shaking fingers punched in the code and after a few moments a sleep clouded voice spoke.

"Yes, this is CT-27-5555."

"Hi Fives," Elisabeth interrupted him," sorry to wake you, I thought your were on watch duty in our corridor. Sorry," she shook her head," I am bit confused right now. Do you know where the cadets are sleeping? I found one wandering the hall."

One look to the side confirmed the young clone focused on the sweet, savouring every bite.

"Looked a bit like a bad memory to me. I didn't want to get him into trouble, so..." She trailed of, and held her breath until a low grumble came from the other end.

"All right, I will be there in ten, wait for me." He hung up and Elisabeth lowered her comlink watching the cadet savour the desert like he had never had something so sweet before, previous troubles seemingly forgotten.

Suddenly Elisabeth was glad that her office didn't have windows. It was dark and the air a bit stale, but at least it kept the noise of the city out. She didn't think she could deal with another panic attack right now. She was close to having one right now herself.

Five Years… They were only five years old. How old did that make Fives and Echo and Kix and Captain Rex and all the others?

She didn't know and right this moment she wasn't sure that she wanted to know.

Minutes ticked by with neither of them speaking. The young cadet had long finished the desert, had thanked her kindly, "Thank you Ma'am that was the best I have ever had. What was it?"

Acting far too old for a ten year old, much less a five year old that he was chronologically. He seemed to shiver and she noticed for the first time that he was only wearing his sleeping fatigues.

Elisabeth had smiled, told him it had been her pleasure.

"That was meringue with whipped blue milk and shuuja jam, my favourite." And in a moment of uncharacteristically protectiveness had fetched Christina's blanket from her chair and had placed it over muscular shoulders. She kept her hands there for a moment, waiting for him to take the soft wool and pull it closer. It was so wrong to feel such a young body e so wiry, so muscular and know the reason why it was that way.

"Here, the heating went out in this block yesterday, I fear it didn't get really warm yet. Take it I wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

He nodded, pulling his feet into the warmth of the blanket, curling into a ball on the chair. Elisabeth sat down on her colleagues', watching the young boy doze off, was a bit worried about him nodding of and losing his balance. She wouldn't have needed to worry. His poise was perfect. Never once did he even sway.

The opening door saved her from the though of how he had gained the ability.

Fives took in the scene and smiled. Behind him stood a silver haired clone, Elisabeth assumed it was the boy's sergeant and stood up as the men watched his charge. She was nervous until she noticed the kind expression on the older clone's face.

"At least he had the good sense to seek out good company. Thank you Ma'am."

Elisabeth was stunned as he extracted the boy from the folds of the blanket, picked him up and gave her a court nod as he carried him outside.

Fives folded the blanket.

"Sorry, I got the notice that he was already being looked for. I contacted his Sergeant. That was why I was late."

He paused, feeling the texture of the cloth in his hands. "This is really soft."

"I am sure Christina wouldn't mind if you borrowed it for a night. I woke you up at an un-human time after all."

Fives' face light up and he strode to the door, eager to return to sleep. Elisabeth didn't notice.

"How old are you Five's?"

"Me? Oh, I am nine, a year younger than captain Rex."

His `good night` reached her just before the doors drifted shut.

Elisabeth collapsed on the chair the cadet had occupied moments ago.

"Ten years, five years." She buried her head in her shaking hands, all thought about sleep for the night forgotten.

"How, just how can we let ten year olds fight or us? Much, much less push them through that training?"

Nothing answered her, not even the sounds of the rockets going of in the night sky, celebrating the change that the New Year would bring.

For Elisabeth one thing had changed already.

If she couldn't stop two year old from having a weapon pressed into their hand, she couldn't save a five year old from appearing on the holo net.

She powered up the computer, accessing the receiver the camera in her necklace automatically sent its data to, and played the video of the young cadet, telling her of handled his age.

"Sorry." She murmured to the image. "Sorry, but we need you."

This was what they had been looking for. This was what they needed to wake them up, every citizen of the republic.

* * *

**A.N.:**

First of all I am terriby sorry for not updating this story in a month.

I will try to set a regular update scedule from now on, so let's see you in three weeks, hopefully.

To all that are still here: Thank you.

And your usual: if you find any mistakes, grammar, spelling, story line, or if you want to see something here tell me!

I will do my best to fix/include it.


	6. Fallout

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Star Wars and I don't earn any money with this piece of fiction. I write it for entertainment purpose only.

* * *

Fives leaned against the back-wall of the glass elevator.

He shifted his bucket in a more comfortable position under his arm.

The doors were closing itself, just as a hand squeezed between them and a lithe form with black hair hurried inside.

Elisabeth sent him a beaming smile, shifting the files under her arm to reach up to her head.

"Good Morning Fives."

She was out of breath and tried to fix her hair, which was in even more of disarray than normal.

Elisabeth gathered the back strands that were escaping from the bun on the back of her head. The motions send the holo files under her arm slipping.

Fives quickly clipped his bucket to his belt and took hold of the flimsi for her.

"Let me take that, looks like you are in quiet a hurry today."

Elisabeth finished pulling the last loop tight and took the files from him again, sorting them.

"You could say that. The conference has just begun last week and I already wish for it to be over."

She rolled her eyes, sending him a beaming smile. "And I thought preparation for the take off from Coruscant was bad."

Fives chuckled. "Well, I am just glad I have nothing to do with that."

Elisabeth stopped shuffling the sheets to glance at him.

"What are you doing to keep busy anyway? Just sitting around for three weeks does not seem to be something for you either."

The trooper gave her a grin, white teeth gleaming on contrast to his dark skin.

"We are not. Even after the time we had for training in Coruscant, there is still much to learn for our shinies."

Elisabeth nodded, recognizing the topic from one if their after holo-vid talks.

"Right, are you still having the `there are more ways to do things than in the reg says` discussion?"

Fives nodded, watching the numbers drop as they neared ground floor.

"Yes, some still have troubles adapting to new strategies, but it is getting better steadily. At least my squad got a few days of."

He smiled, "General Skywalker is rotating us around, so everybody gets a chance to experience a city that is not currently shot to pieces."

A ping announced their arrival at the reception and Fives motioned for Elisabeth to walk out first.

He still thought letting an unarmed civilian walk into an unsecured room had some severe tactical flaws, but Fives tried his best to accept the social niceties, civilians often expected to be common knowledge.

The dark haired secretary already hurried across the hall as Fives stepped out of the elevator and strode over to Echo, Hardcase and Kix, which were already waiting for him. The clones stared intently at the holo-projector, which showed the ongoing game of two bolo-teams. It was the preliminaries for the galaxy-cup.

Hardcase greeted him with a friendly slap on the shoulder. Echo nodded.

"Well, let us explore."

Hardcase groaned, "But the game, Echo I want to watch."

Echo smiled, inclining his head towards the hyperactive clone.

"Jesse said there is a viewing point in the market square. We can continue watching there, while taking a look at the city."

He continued his usual monologe while the group started walking, slowly making their way through the hot, busy streets.

"Don't worry about missing something. The Red Falcons and the Mad Nerfs are both weak in the advance, while they have very strong defences. It is unlikely that there are going to be any goals before half time. We have plenty of time to get to market square."

Hardcase sped up anyway. "Unlikely, yes, but I still want to see the game. Do you think there is any chance for us to get a drink there?"

Their group made good pace towards the market square, while still appreciating the way small streams were meandering through the streets.

Echo had not only read up on the bolo team's tactics but also on the style the Alderans had built the city with. He was more than happy to give the information on to his brothers, although Hardcase protested loudly whenever they slowed down to take a closer look at some local historical sight.

The city was according to Alderaan custom built with extreme care to include and protect nature.

The water flowed and extra care had been taken to create areas where it could spread out and run over pebbles to take in oxygen.

The sound of flowing water echoed through the entire city, you could always hear sound of running water.

As they reached the market place the game was nearing half time, so the clones chose a small hip high stone wall to lean against while they waited for a few of the seats to be vacated during the break.

Soon enough, the bell for half time sounded. The sound level rose, as people started singing and partying.

Fives was about to chime in, having set his eyes on a young passerby before, but stopped, as he caught Captain Rex's face from the corner of his eye.

Just then, the camera turned and Echo appeared in the centre of the picture.

He seemed to be engrossed in some sort of a game. He raised his head and looked in the camera, asking something, and went back to what turned out to be a puzzle.

The camera tilted downwards and a slender hand pushed a piece into place.

Fives growled. He knew the carefully manicure fingers.

His brothers, attracted by his sound, turned towards the holo-screen and froze as their daily life in the barracks on Coruscant was shown in front of their eyes.

Every now and again a few bits and pieces of the person operating the filming gear showed. But even without these hints Fives and Echo could have told you who was behind the scenes. After all the clones had looked the both young women straight in the eye during most of these moments.

As a commentary took over, describing in painstaking detail the dangers the clone troopers faced on a daily basis and the many inconsistencies in medical treatment, Fives stood up and turned wordlessly towards Headquarters.

Echo called after him, asking what he was doing.

Fives shouted over his shoulder. "I am going back to the office Echo. I want answers."

* * *

Christina was sorting the vid files from her and Elisabeth's day so far.

Due to the editing of the films she herself had not gotten to collect as much material to work with as she would have liked to, but Elisabeth's run-in with Fives today provided them with another moment of the caring, humorous, young man they needed to portray.

All in all the production of the last episodes was going well.

The door to their editing room opened and Elisabeth sat down another heap of documents.

"They liked the episode three the best so far, but think the two minute-trailers should be edited."

In lack of space, the room was only two steps wide and three steps deep, she leaned against Christina's desk. The equipment took up most of the space, so that there was even the space lacking for a second desk. They shared a table and when there were more than three people things got cosy.

Christina sighed. "Again? We already re-did them more times than I want to count. And I am still working on the last episode. I don't have time to re-do the trailers."

"Well, welcome to real life. They say they want it, we do it. Besides, this is the last time we work on it alone. Tomorrow the rest of the editing goes to Coruscant, with us. The decision about the documentation and the funds has been made, from tomorrow on, different topics will be important."

Elisabeth grimaced. "Do you hate that idea as much as I do? I mean," she leaned against Christina's table, "I know we can't do all of the work on our own, but I don't want anyone else to over our time with them. It's just, it's so personal."

Her friend nodded. "Same here. I know everybody in the galaxy is going to see the vids and that is the sense of us doing this, but to think of someone else go over it and edit it, change scenes, look through our entire time with them… that is just wrong.

I don't want to give all the files to someone else to look at. It is stupid, because it doesn't make a difference, but somehow it feels like it does, I was there, I lived it. You found a way to tell them we are leaving early? The senators needed less time to decide everything then I thought."

Just as Elisabeth shook her head the door opened again. In one practised move the dark haired woman collected the document in her arm. Christina switched from the editing program to some mundane files.

Both smiled at Fives, who was standing in the door, face unreadable behind his dark visor.

He strode forward and ripped the flimsi files out of Elisabeth's hand.

The sheets went flying across the room.

Fives removed his helmet, holding it tightly in his hands as he scrutinised the various documents.

Storyboards, notes and screenshots of him and his brothers littered the floor of the small editing room.

"Please tell me the vid I just saw was not taken by you. Please tell me you did not sneak in my life just to collect some fame."

He asked voice thick with anger. He could not even scream, just whisper for fear he would lash out if he raised his voice.

"They were not supposed to air that already." Elisabeth breathed, only to stop and curse herself as Fives turned towards her. Had she said that out loud?

Apparently she had as Five's expression darkened.

"Why?" He asked. "Why? Did they pay for it nicely? How much did you get?"

She was uncomfortably reminded of a large predator as he walked towards her.

Elisabeth was only a bit shorter than he was, but right now the clone seemed to loom over her.

Her friend stepped forward, raising a hand. "Fives, please, let us explain."

"That must be one good explanation then." Echo had arrived only a few steps behind his brother. He palmed the door close and stood next to Fives, laying a hand on his shoulder as much for his brother's as for his own nerves.

Then, he looked at the two women, waiting for them to continue.

Christina swallowed, seemingly unsure what she should say. She looked at Elisabeth, wordlessly asking her friend what to say. But she didn't know either.

Fives scoffed. "Someone would have thought you had at least plotted out a nice story to tell us. Like you vid-diary." He shook his head, tensing even under Echo's hand. "Force, how, just how could we have been so blind? And we the 501st! We are supposed to be the best!"

He threw his hands up in exasperation.

"What did you do it for? Fame? Credits? Or were you just curious how the flesh droids looked like? Now, take a good look."

He shrugged Echo's hand of and stepped forward, spreading his arms to give Elisabeth and Christina a good look of him.

Christina looked faintly ill. "Fives," she started. "Please, it's not like that."

"How is it then?" Echo interrupted her. While his brother seemed to boil over with anger, he was very calm, observing, but distanced.

"Fives, Echo, this was not for money. This was not for fame." Christina said.

"But you were paid?" Echo was not convinced, but at least Christina did not fear for him to lash out at any moment.

"Yes. We were paid, "Elisabeth stepped forward. "But first of all, I apologize."

"We apologize." Christina added.

"We saw how everybody treated you. How life just went on, how people ignored what was happening. We wanted to change something. And then there were these rumours. You know, some people did want to know what was happening to you. There was that one incident at the Coruscant hospital. One of our friends from school, he is now a doctor. He told us that not all wounds that heal mean that you can go back to the army and how the clones that can't go back to the GAR go back to Kamino."

Christina's seemed to loose her voice under Five's and Echo's scrutiny, so Elisabeth took over. She squared her shoulders, steeling herself against the clone's reactions.

"And no one could tell him or us or anyone else what happens to them. Why do we never see them? The senators asked the same things and as Organa overheard the two of us arguing he decided we were the ones to film you. Because we wanted to know what is happening."

She looked at them, willing for them to understand.

"And even you won't tell us. Please, you are angry, you have every right to be, but…"

Fives cut her off.

"But what? He is a doctor! He is not allowed to talk to others about his patience's medical problems. What happened to Doctor Patience privacy? He ignored that, but it is obviously alright, because we are clones!"

He took a step forward, Elisabeth and Christina retreated, away from the door, towards the back of the rom.

"Why should we tell you? It was the last thing we didn't tell you about, because we do not talk to that about aruetiise. And we were damn right not to do so. I mean, look at yourself. You say you wanted people to stop treating us like they do? Perhaps, let us decide what we want to do. Perhaps, let us say what we think is a good strategy, instead of allowing some moronic optician with no clue whatsoever to send us to our certain deaths, because it sounded good for his next election?"

The room was small, and Elisabeth felt the wall in her back. No where to go. Christina just looked up at Fives, frozen in place.

Hoping she was doing the right thing Elisabeth nodded.

"We wanted to show people how you guys are. That there are good, likable men who died for them We wanted you to get the medical care you deserve. We wanted you to have rights, to say yes, we want to go there, do that, we wanted you to be citizens of the republic, because you deserve it."

Fives was not done yet.

"So, Instead of continuing to tell people what you think is wrong, you got ahead and start filming us. Recording our daily lives for everyone to see, all the while you pretended to be our friends, who we could confide in. Just, how much of the late night talk with Chopper did you record Elisabeth?"

His fist crashed down next to her head, his body looming over her.

She didn't answer, still scared stiff by his outburst.

"Do you know what they could do for him for that?"

Echo stepped forward, gently pulling him back.

"They won't." Elisabeth answered, with a lot more conviction than she felt. The Senators had been impressed with the scene and had promised there would be no repercussion for the scarred clone for telling his opinion on the price of victory and sometimes incompetent higher ups, of contradicting orders and troops spread out too thin to be useful.

"Alright, I will just believe that, but answer me one question."

Fives followed his brother's wordless command and stepped back.

"Just, how did you think, filming us without our knowledge, without our consent and without us having a say what we think is important would help everybody see who we are? Just how?"

There was no answer, Elisabeth ad Christina had both lain awake at night, wondering, mulling about the same question, but no answer had come to their mind.

Fives shook his head. "I thought so." He turned around and left.

This was the moment Christina found her strength to step forward. "Fives, Echo."

But the first trooper was already gone. Echo just shook his head.  
"I see you wanted the right thing, but you have to see that we trusted you two. We don't meet many civilians, much less get to spent time with them, so many of us were suspicious about you, about something they don't know. Nevertheless we trusted you, let you into our lives and found you were not so different from us. We found out that you liked dirty jokes, a good vid and a good meal as much as every one of us. There were a lot of things that puzzled us, but it was alright, we got around that."

He send them a sad look.

"A lot of the guys are going to be asking how much that was real. Christina, I am asking how much of that was real."

She wanted to answer, but the clone shook his head.

"Not right now. Right now, I need time to thinks this through. Sorry, perhaps another day."

With that he too left the room, letting the door close behind him. Little did he now that with the arrival of the team the next day the editing room would be

Little did they now that after the fallout Elisabeth ad Christina would not have another chance to talk to them again.

There ship went first thing in the morning and none of their friends was to be found.

* * *

Having been called back to Coruscant by the Jedi council, General Skywalker had decided to have the 501st patrol the streets of the capital as additional security, to "set the mind of the citizens at ease."

So it came that just a few weeks after the fallout with their friends two Arc troopers made their assigned way through the bustling market square in downtown.

In their white and blue armour the clones stood out even from the colourful, diverse population of the Republic's capital.

Most people gave them a wide space, staring shortly, than averting their gaze pointedly.

Others, like the young man next to a fruit vendor, stared at them, their eyes glued to the deece Echo carried. The trooper and his brother passed the young adult, but Echo could still feel the gaze between his shoulders.

It was like some sort of an itch and he shrugged his shoulders in order to alleviate the imagination.

"It does not seem to calm them much to see us here." Fives commented on closed channel, making sure the civilians could not listen in to the conversation.

The sight of a lively, peaceful city was rare in the life of a clone trooper. Fives' eyes kept jumping from one detail to the next.

A curvy shape, deep lilac, caught his eye. A young woman was staring at him, but not in the suspicious way of her age-mate a few moments earlier.

Instead of inspecting his gear, she spent an unusual amount of time watching his visor, as if to look him in the eye. That was something civilians usually avoided, the sight of the dark, reflecting surface seemed to make them highly uneasy.

"It is too sad the helmets do not have the same affect on clankers," shot through his mind. Fives let out a deep breath. It was a sunny day; he had the rare opportunity to take in a peaceful, undisturbed city and to observe how the people he defended lived like before the separatists arrived. He did not want to waste a single moment thinking about the droids that made his and his brothers days a living hell.

Instead he let out an appreciative hum, calling for his brother's attention.

"Hey Echo, three o'clock, see that Zeltron? She seems to like me."

Echo slowed down, trying to get a better view at the humanoid. "You certainly acquired her attention."

The Zeltron seemed to take the slowing if their gate as an invitation as she squared her shoulders and made her way through the bustling crowd towards them.

Fives stopped and faced her way, clearly interested.

Echo sighed. "You know, after regulation gamma 32 paragraph three, regarding patrol we are not supposed to interact with the citizens unless it is an emergency."

"Quiet Echo, it could be an emergency."

The Zeltron stopped in front of them, looking up at their visors. She was blushing heavily, her cheeks taking on a dark purple. Fives found it strangely endearing.

"Sirs, I just, wanted to thank you, for all you are doing." She looked down and visibly gathered her wits before she continued.

"I also wanted to thank you for participating in the holo footage."

She stopped, nervously looking over to Echo's chest plate.

"At least I think I recognized your armour marking from there, you know, the coverage that accompanied the founding of the first rehabilitation centre?"

The tone of her voice rose at the end of her ramble, indicating a question.

Her nerves seemed to flutter worse than Droid bait's had during their first live-fire fight.

Fives felt a cold lump settling in his stomach. This was not going the way he had hoped it would go.

"Our appearance in the footage was not entirely voluntary." He forced out between tight jaws.

Fives was about to just walk away, but the young woman continued, it was apparent she grew more flustered with every moment. His last comment had thrown her even more off course.

"Oh, I am so sorry. I did not know that."

Fives registered that the colour drained from her face, the Zeltron's shoulders slumped and her body language became expressive.

She seemed to be honestly sad about the news.

"I still want to thank you, both for what you are doing and for the footage. It may not have changed many people's minds, but it was necessary to wake people up and my friends and I believe that it started something."

She looked up again, straightening and standing tall, although se still only reached Five's shoulder.

"It was time someone showed us just who is protecting us. I know people still treat you badly, but please don't mind them. Not everyone thinks like it and people's opinions are changing. Please bear with us, all change starts out small."

The last sentence seemed to have used up the rest of her courage as she gave them a tentative smile and then walked away in small, hurried steps.

Fives stared after her.

The knowledge that someone he counted as a friend had filmed him and put his face, his behaviour in private moments, out for the galaxy to see was still stinging, but oddly it felt soothed, as if someone had spread some balm about it.

* * *

**A.N.:**Outch, did I mention that I hate arguments and I feel physically ill when soomeone I like argues? No?

Well, it explains why the fallout between Fives, Echo and the girls did not turn out how I wanted it too. :(

But, because it does not get better with re-writing, I hope youstill like it ...

I know, I said this chapter would be about Kix and the medics, but trust me, they cooperated even less than Fives, so I guess if Kix ever agrees to let me write his opinion it will appear in one of the epilogues.

There is definitely one epilogue coming, after that it all depends on the plot bunny. I am sure he will stick around for longer when he gets some carrots (hint, hint;)).


	7. second chances

**Disclaimer:**

**I do not own star wars and I make no money with this piece of fiction.**

* * *

It was strange, how much could happen in such a short time.

"Looks good Hardcase."  
Kix hung the data pad to its dedicated Spot at the foot of Hardcase's bed. He gave his brother a encouraging smile.  
"Just a few more weeks and you should be fit to return to our company. You are lucky."

Hardcase grinned, bright teeth flashing. "I know Kix, I know and I also know that I am the last one you are supposed check on. Now, go get some rest brother. You look worse than I do."  
The last comment was chorused by the rest of the room. The five hundred first had taken heavy casualties once again, but much less than they could have.  
Many brothers, that would have been send back to Camino had gained a second chance here.

Kix left the room with a chuckle, dimming the lights, so that his brothers might find some rest.  
On the other side of the room someone waited.  
"A good morning, Kix. Master Skywalker informed me I would find you here."  
Apparently she was waiting for him. The medic stood up straight, facing the Senator and former queen of Naboo.

"Ma'am. How may I help you?"  
"I would like to take a walk Kix, there is something I have to ask you."

The woman smiled and Kix understood, once again, why General Skywalker seemed to enjoy her presence. She was a remarkable person, some would call her beautiful and she treated him and his brothers as equals, sometimes even asking their input on the situation.

As Kix fell into step besides her He hoped this would be another of these occurrences.  
They usually ended with an approving comment from their General or their Captain.

"First of all, I have to ask you something. What is your opinion about the center Kix?"

"It is a good institution Senator. My brothers are well cared for and we get chances, we otherwise would not have had."  
Although Amidala had been one of the people to unveil what was Happening to his brothers Kix felt uneasy addressing the issue directly.

The Senator nodded. "I am that we have the same opinion. But I am sure you have also noted that this place, no matter how well maintained is too small."

They had reached a small balcony. A warm breeze carried the scent of the kitchen garden. Meals were prepared in the facilities and among the best the troopers had had. There were quiet a lot of complaining and storytelling in the mess every time men returned from the facility.

"It is Ma'am' but nevertheless the men are glad to be here. They miss their brothers, but you should hear them reminiscing about the time here." He trailed of, remembering fondly the late night talk. "You and your project have saved many."

The senator shifted, leaning slightly away from Kix. She seemed to be uneasy. "Several people have announced their interest in participating in a second project Kix. It is only a matter of how we raise the money and interest of the public. We are on a good way, but to ensure the progress we have made, we cannot stop now." She paused, carefully observing Kix's reaction to her words.

" I know what you are talking about Ma'am and I fear That it won't be as easy as you think. Perhaps I should suggest a different unit for a second documentation."

The senator shook her head. "The Sponsors we have gathered so far are quiet adamant about the subject. They want the five hundred first and," she added," they want the ones who did the first documentation."

Kix stiffened. Senator Amidala continued.  
"What we have now is one center for the entire army and a few people who are changing their minds about how you and your brothers must be treated. That is not enough. We cannot stop now. To have the entire republic change their view upon the clone's rights it takes more work than just one documentation."  
She turned towards him, watching him intently.

"Kix. We need you, we need your brothers. Please."

* * *

Christina wrung a piece of flimsi in her sweaty hands. She had dressed in a simple shirt and trousers, forgoing current fashion in an attempt to feel more comfortable.  
Now, she was standing in front of a small tap-caf. The same, which Eisabeth had frequented regularly during their vocational education.  
She had not believed her eyes when one day, finally Kix had written her, asking for this meeting. He was not the one she had expected to contact her, but had stopped wondering when anxiety had overwhelmed her questions. She had found the medic to be thoughtful, pleasant company but had not spent much of her free time with him.

That had been reserved for Echo. She flinched at the memory and before she could start mulling about his visit a few weeks earlier she gathered her courage and entered the small establishment.  
It was not hard to find her company. In their armor Kix and Echo stood out like a sore thumb.  
The plush cushions and frilly decoration made a strange contrast to the scuffed armor.

It also didn't hurt that Elisabeth radiated a discomfort that was nearly physically palpable.  
As if he had sensed her gaze Kix raised his head. He gave her a small nod, waiving her over.  
"Good that you could make it." He raised a can and pushed a cup over.  
"Care for some caf?"  
"No thank you, I'm fine."

"You don't look like it." Echo's voice had taken a dark undertone since the last time she had met him. He had gained some weight; his face was no longer so thin, although the tired, hard look had yet to leave his eyes.

"Well, you look better. Did you get Five's picture?"  
He nodded and decided to get right the reason of their meeting.

"The rehabilitation center is going well. We have to partially thank you for that."  
Elisabeth wanted to Protest, but he cut her off.  
"I am not over what you have done, but Kix raised a good point when he asked me to come here."

Kix took over.  
"One center is not enough. The staff is doing what they can, but they have only so many resources, only so many shifts they can do. What the fund needs is a second round of donations. There are still some, but they have slowed down significantly after the news turned to other matters. You know what we mean?"

Elisabeth nodded. "A second vid series, but, why us?"  
Echo took a sip of the caf, then eyed it suspiciously.  
"Because the sponsors that the help fund had are adamant the wanted you to be in it. And our brothers and we agreed."

"What?" A short exclamation escaped Christina. She knew she should be happy that the troopers had agreed to it, but she couldn't help herself gape at the two clones sitting at the opposite side of the table.

A smile showed on Kix's face. He reached under the table, retrieving a small holo camera and setting it on a table.  
"The people want to know just who captured us in such an intimate way and we want to know too. You told us that what we saw was the real you, but even if you tried to act like usual you had a goal and a secret to keep. I see the destruction war brings and I am thankful for the chance you gave my brothers and me."

" We are hurt, but we see what you wanted to do. You were vital in giving our brothers a second chance. We want to give you a second chance too." Fives picked up the camera, switching it on.  
"Will you take it?"

Elisabeth and Christina smiled. "Yes."  
"Well then, Elisabeth, you can start with telling me just how you made it through your vocational education despite this caf. It tastes like warm water."

* * *

**A.N.:**  
And, the end.  
I would say seven chapters is not too bad for my first multi chaptered story, is it?  
Actually, the whole fic turned out different than I had thought it would. Overall I am strangely satisfied with it.

And another plot bunny is already gnawing on my ankle. Concerning plot bunnies, the cancellation of the clone wars has come quiet unexpected to me.  
( More of that on my profile page, I don't want to clutter the AN with that rant.)

After the end of a series part of the fandom tends to let go quiet quickly. I have experienced this before with other fandoms and it is hard to see how less and less fics are submitted.

I promise that I won't do that. It will be a hot day on Hoth before the colorful, vibrant world of the clone wars will let me go.  
Of course, I ,might stray now and the, but for now there are enough plot bunnies to keep me busy for a long while. See you soon!


End file.
